Wicked
by Kimipeli R. Lupin
Summary: Are people born wicked? Or is wickedness simply thrust upon them? . Betrayal and lost love, SBOC. Will she forgive him? The continuation of my story, For Good. Please REVIEW!
1. Wonderful

Aradia opened the door magically as her arms were filled with grocery bags. She made her way to the kitchen and smiled when she saw her ten year old son Shay sitting at the table finishing his homework. She left the groceries on the counter and made her way to the table.

"Hey you." She said rubbing his head as she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.

"Hi mom." He said smiling into his paper.

"How was school today?" she said sitting across from him and leaning over the table to see what he was doing.

"Not so good…Lexi told me to send you to her first."

Aradia sighed. "This is getting out of control." she mumbled to herself as she stood up.

"Lexi, I'm here." Aradia called as she rounded the corner into the living room.

"Good." Lexi said as Aradia sat beside her on the couch. Lexi was a kind, forty something woman who was also a witch. She was Shay's baby sitter and the person that the school called if something went wrong. Because of Aradia's job with the U.S. Department of Magic, it was easier to call Lexi who could get in touch with Aradia easier than anyone else. "Shay ran into some more trouble at school today. He was standing up for a girl some other kids were picking on in the cafeteria and they started to go after him, well…by going after you. Saying that you're some sort of freak-"

"I suppose this is the punishment I get for raising him as a muggle. What ended up happening?"

"He ended up running from them so that he wouldn't get hurt…and according to the boys chasing him he was throwing things…when in all actuality…he had accidentally managed to charm the objects to protect him…everything from schoolbooks to trashcans."

Aradia sighed and smiled. "I'll call Principal Wilson tomorrow. I suppose since this has been going on for three days I have to explain everything to Shay now?"

"Aradia, I would have done it the first day. It's time to stop hiding form the past." Lexi said knowing she had struck a nerve. "You need anything before I go home?"

"No thanks Lexi, you've done enough this week. Take tomorrow off. I'll stay home with Shay so I can discuss some things with him before he goes back to school on Monday."

"I think that would be for the better. Do you know what school you'll be sending him to now? I mean Wizarding School that is."

"Well, I'd like for him to go to Hogwarts, but that would mean moving back to London. I never planned on it stupidly enough. I started to lose hope, he wasn't showing any magical signs until Tuesday. Which I am so thankful for, but at the same time..." she sighed leaving the rest to her thoughts.

"If you don't mind me asking Aradia, was his father magic or muggle?"

"Magic. Pure Blood." Aradia said with a hint of regret in her voice.


	2. Dear old Shiz

Aradia walked in the door her arms full of luggage and smiled. She looked around the room that was years ago alive with energy of the people that lived in and visited the house. The room now was covered in dust and sheets were draped over the furniture that remained. "Home" she whispered imagining the room filled once again with the people she knew nearly 12 years ago when she first bought the house.

Shay walked in wearing his headphones and a backpack holding the leash that his new dog was straining against. The dog was barely 9 months old but already huge, and his long black hair stuck up in almost every direction possible. The dog pulled against the leash hard and it flew out of Shay's hand. Shay began to run after him when his mom grabbed his backpack. She turned him around and pulled his headphones to his shoulders.

"Let him explore." She said kissing his forehead. She hated having to see Shay with that dog. She hoped to god that he wouldn't choose that one. It reminded her too much of the past. But he begged her and he used the "but you said that I could get any dog that I wanted once we moved here!" line and it hurt her too much. "So, whaddo you think?" She asked smiling at her son.

Shay turned to look around the room. "It's dusty…" he said searching for something to say.

"Well that is easily fixed." Aradia said removing her wand from her pocket and with a flick of her wrist and the word "_scourgify"_ the room sparkled and the sheets on the furniture disappeared. The drapes were opened and the sun now shined in through the windows. The room was decorated in red and black with a highlight of gold. The overstuffed sofa was black with red pillows and the side tables were gold plated with glass tops. The tile on the floor was black with gold splatter.

"It's awesome! How come our house in California wasn't like this?"

"Because I wanted it to look different." She said simply. "The room at the top of the stairs on the left is yours. Go check it out." He ran to the stairs and was at the top in a flash.

Aradia smiled and continued through the house cleaning each room with the wave of her wand. Nothing too serious lurked in the house other than an infestation of doxies in the living room curtains.

Remus took his usual route home from work, his hands in his pockets and his eyes ahead of him as he walked to his house. Back at his regular job in a little known wizarding bookshop, in mid-London after a year at Hogwarts he was saddened. Being back at the school somehow brought so much energy back into his life, and now it was gone. School would be starting in a matter of days and he wished he were going back.

Though, knowing that a friend was innocent after a 12-year imprisonment brought him joy and his life seemed easier to live, it still hurt knowing that he could do nothing as he was hiding from the ministry. Remus never knew where he was, he got letters every once in a while these days from different birds, ranging from large exotic ones to small barn owls telling him that everything was alright, but he just wished he could help Sirius.

On top of this all Remus was on the street of Sirius' old house. It was abandoned now and had been for twelve years.

Sirius lived there with his fiancée and two months after Sirius had been thrown in Azkaban she left without a word, or a trace of where she was going. The house remained deserted and dark every time Remus saw it. In the early days it hurt so much to see it, knowing that after three of his friends were killed his last friend was carted off to jail.

Of course Peter is still alive but this was just found out a matter of a few months ago, and Remus began to walk this route again to pay tribute to his lost friends.

He thought about her more often these days. Is she happy? Has she started over? Is she still alive? But there was no point in asking himself these questions as he knew that she, like him is still being haunted by those fateful events of so many years ago. Sometimes he could even feel her thinking about him, but of course that was simply wishful thinking; hoping that he wasn't alone in the world. That he could have someone to share his pain with.

Years ago he tried to send her letters, he assumed she got them because the owl always returned without a letter, but that was just it...there was no return, and no word back. So he gave up and figured that she was happy wherever she was now. He hoped.

Emerging from his thoughts Remus realized that someone was watching him as he walked. He noticed this just in time to spot a large black dog charging towards him. In any normal situation the wolf would have been ready for the attack, but the dog's familiarity took him by surprise. _Sirius. _Was all he could think before he found himself on his back with a large dog on top of him. To his surprise the dog's bared teeth parted and a long pink slobbery tongue began to lick him before he could react.

"Thorr! Get off of him now!" came a young boy's voice. The boy grabbed the dog's collar and yanked him back with all his strength.

Remus regained control and helped to get the dog off of him. He stood up and brushed himself off.

"I'm sorry Mister, he's new, I just got him today. You see I just moved here and my mom told me I could get any dog I wanted. She didn't want me to get him-"

"You're American?" Remus interrupted hopefully. He looked at the boy, but couldn't see much as it was dark, and he had just finished rubbing slobber out of his eyes.

"Well yea but my mom is from here."

"Shay, what's going on?" his mother called from behind him. Remus froze.

"Mom, Thorr got lose and he tackled him before I could stop him. He's so big I couldn't do anything."

"Sir, I'm sorry about that, are you alright?" Aradia said putting a hand on his shoulder and coming around so that she could see the man. Her jaw dropped as she stood face to face with one of the main people she was trying to avoid on her first day back in the country.

"Ari..." he said breathlessly as he threw his arms around her.


	3. Popular

"No." Aradia breathed so softly that it sounded like a small, sorrowful sigh. Remus took no notice of her reaction as he threw his arms around her.

Remus closed his eyes and took in her scent, her feel, and her aura. Over twelve years and not even a hint that she was still alive; that she still cared.

His ear against her jugular vein he listened to her body. He had done this so many times before. They were once amazing friends, almost like siblings, yet it had been so long, something about her body was different...it sounded different...then it clicked. His eyes snapped open as he moved his hands to her shoulders and pushed himself away still holding her shoulders.

"You had a son?" he asked surprised.

Aradia's eyes closed and she nodded slightly. A hint of a smile flickered across her face.

"You're not married are you?" She shook her head. "Where in Merlin's name have you been!"

"It doesn't matter." she sighed and pulled shay forward. " Remus I want you to meet Shay, my son."

Remus smiled at the boy. "Hello Shay." he said softy.

"Did you go to school with my mom?"

"Yes, we were excellent friends." He said looking at Aradia. "I've missed you, you know. Why did you leave?"

"Remus, I - we're real busy right now...unpacking and all. We'd better get going. Stop by in a few days and I'll explain some things to you then."

"Aradia, you're not doing this all by yourself...this moving? Why don't I help, you don't have to talk about anything now I just want to see you again. It's been so long.

"I know Moony, it's just...being back here is hard enough. The same place, the house the room...the same people." she sighed heavily. "Shay, take the dog inside and start some tea please. Enough for three."

Shay looked as if he was about to pretest but reluctantly turned and escorted the dog into the house.

"Moony, I didn't want to come back. Especially now, and you know why. The truth is I'm still hiding, not just from him...but from magic...Magic hurt so many people that I loved, and now Shay is...I thought about not putting him in wizard school. But I believe its better to have him trained...And I'd rather have him trained at Hogwarts than any of those schools in the states. I left magic behind so long ago...I can't explain anymore to you now, but the truth is I'd love to have you for dinner tonight. All I ask is that we don't talk about him. Please, for now. I'm just not ready."


	4. Something Bad

"How's Harry?" Aradia asked as she and Remus prepared pasta in the kitchen.

"See, you do care!"

"Well, I never said I didn't care!"

"You did disappear..."

"Not because I didn't care Remus, but because I wasn't strong enough...I'm not talking about this right now." she said continuing her work on preparing the sauce. "I asked how Harry was, not why I left."

"Harry is wonderful. Gryffindor, you should know, and already amazing on a broomstick. Seeker for the team."

_Like James,_ she found herself thinking.

"He looks exactly like him too." Remus said seeming to read her mind. "It's fascinating how alike they look, except the eyes..."

"Lily's, even as a baby they were his mothers."

Shay entered the kitchen with a mischievous smile on his face that struck Remus as familiar though he couldn't place it. "Smells amazing Mom! Are we eating at the dinner table tonight?"

"Of course."

"But the room is still dusty."

"Don't worry about it, we'll eat in here."

"No table mom."

"No worries Shay."

"No idea what's going on..." Remus interjected as he raised his cup to sip his tea.

"Moony...table please..." Aradia requested.

"Pardon?"

"Clearly we are, as of now, without table."

"Ah!" he set down his cup and pushed up his sleeves brandishing his wand.

Aradia was slicing the garlic bread when Shay asked for salt for his vegetables.

"I'll check the pantry honey."

Before Aradia could reach in to turn on the light in the walk in pantry a tall dark figure swept out of the door startling her as she was forced backwards.

She met eyes with the creature and backed away from his grasp in fear. He simply smiles as his bright blue eyes shimmered.

She almost felt as if she should run into his arms, but stood instead with her back pressed against the counter, her body trembling.

He hadn't aged since she saw him last, though his mischievous smile had turned into a malicious grimace. It no longer made her weak at the knees from love, but from terror.

She couldn't speak as he moved toward her.

"Mom?"

His evil eyes turned in the direction of the voice and he slipped his wand from his pocket.

Remus forced himself between Aradia and her son's attacker and for a split second a look of confusion swept across the man's handsome face his black hair falling into his eyes as with a pop the man shrank to become a floating white orb.

"_Redikulus!_"

Once the boggart was gone Remus turned to Aradia who was bent over the sink looking as though she had just vomited. He placed a gentle hand on her back, and hushed her into comfort.

"I had no idea...I was so scared."

"Ari, he never would have hurt you, you know that. It was all in your head."

"No. No I don't know that and even if he wouldn't hurt me what about you? What about Shay?"

"He had no business with Shay, he doesn't even know that you have a son."

"He has a son." she corrected him. After she did she cursed herself for opening her mouth.

It took a while for Aradia's words to register in his mind. His jaw dropped slowly.

"Anyway you say it like you've spoken to him recently." Aradia said changing the subject.

"His s- son?" Remus stuttered.

"What's going on anyway. I know he's out...He's been out for a year. Are they that stupid that they can't catch him. Maybe Shay and I should go into hiding now that we are back here in London. I don't want him coming here." she rambled on trying to keep Remus away from what she had accidentally said.

"His son?" he repeated more pointedly.

"Yes his son!"

"Ari, that's not p-possible" Remus looked at Shay, Shay's blue eyes glimmered with fear and confusion. He ran his hand through his black hair and Remus turned back to Aradia. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I don't want to talk about him Remus, I told you."

"He's your son, you have to talk about him."

"I don't mean Shay and you know that."

"That was my dad?" Shay asked awkwardly

"No, it wasn't."

"But you just-"

"I know what I just said. That wasn't your father, it was something pretending to be your father. Be thankful it wasn't really him, who knows what would have happened.

"What do you mean something? And why are you so scared of him?"

"It, Shay, it."

"Him, Ari." Remus said quietly. "If you weren't afraid of him, the boggart would have taken the form of something else."

"Don't you think I know that Remus?" She spat.

"I know you know-"

"Then keep quiet."

"I don't get it..." Shay said.

"Ari, go run yourself a relaxing bath. I'll explain what I can to him about what just happened. But just one thing...what does he know?"

"Nothing...other than magic exists."

"I meant about his father."

"Nothing other than that he exists."

"Then your job is to explain to him who his father is..."


	5. No one Mourns the Wicked

Aradia cursed as she opened her bathroom door. This is exactly what she didn't want to happen. She knew Remus walked that path years ago on his way home from work, but how could she know that today, twelve years later he would be walking it still. "Stuck in traditions as usual." She said to herself as she reached for the gold handle to run the water. "Bubbles…? I know I didn't bring them with me…."  
She began to search through the cupboards and drawers of old belongings and tried to ignore most of them. "Merlin I'm stupid! Accio Bubbles!" She heard the pantry door open and turned in time to see the bubbles flying out of it. "Aha!"

The purple liquid fell with a plop into the warm water and immediately filled the room with a sensuous smell. Aradia sank into the purple bubbles with a sigh and closed her eyes. The scent brought a flood of memories into her mind and soon she was bathing in her tears.

"Shay, what you need to understand is that along with magic, comes magical creatures, such as unicorns, dragons, phoenixes," said Remus soothingly. "But what a lot of muggle raised wizards like yourself don't know is that there are thousands of magical creatures that you have never dreamt of, let alone heard of. Such as a kneezle, or a puffskien, or one like your mother just encountered a boggart." Remus let that sink in for a bit as he tried to figure out what he wanted to say next.

"Boggarts like to hide in dark places like wardrobes, old chests, desk drawers, or pantries. Now what a boggart does is it will take the form of your worst fear. That is to say that if you were to open the pantry and a boggart was still in there it would change itself into whatever you fear the most."

"Why did it change when you jumped in front of my mom?" Shay asked quietly.

"Well because your mom and I don't have the same fears. I was closer to it than she was there for it took the from of my worst fear.

"And when my mom opened it, the thing turned into my dad? Why is my mom afraid of my dad?"

"Well that is a question for your mother to answer."

"But you went to school with my mom, you know my dad right? You have to know why he isn't around, Why did he leave?"

"Shay-I" Remus thought desperately for what to say. "Shay I did know your dad-"

"And what did Mom mean when she said she knows he's out? Out of what? Why won't you tell me? I know you know. Why did my dad leave?"

"He didn't leave." Said a shaky voice from the doorway.

Aradia came to her son to hug him. He recoiled quickly.

"Whaddo you mean he didn't leave? You left him? Why? What did he do mom? Why don't I have a father?"

Aradia stared blankly into her son's eyes, seeming to look at something behind him.

"_He's here." Shouted a voice from inside. "They've caught Sirius Black! He's here! The dementors are bringing him in now."_

_Aradia looked away from the gray patch of sky she was staring at. _

"_That's right, your hubby is here," Said a nasty voice to her left. "But word has it he killed thirteen muggles with one curse…"_

_Aradia didn't listen she ran to the gates to be let back into the prison, they had been let outside for their weekly sunlight. Not like it helped as the skies around Azkaban were always gray. _

_Aradia ran ahead of her guard on the catwalk to catch a glimpse of Sirius. She had heard earlier that day about the thirteen muggles but she didn't believe it. _

"_Run from it all you want dearie, but its right here in black and white." Said the same voice, a hand thrust a newspaper in front of her, and there on the front page was a picture of none other than Sirius the headline of "**Mad Black Kills 13**" _

_Aradia threw the paper aside and looked down to the entryway just in time to see two Azkaban guards leading Sirius to the high security ward. _

"_She's up here Hubby."_

_Sirius looked up and a sorrowful look met Aradia's look of betrayal and hatred. A single tear fell from her eye and she turned away from him forever. _

"Mom…?"

"Shay, your father is…:"

"Innocent." Said Remus.

"Impossible. Prove it."

"I can't, I shouldn't have said any thing. I should leave you two alone. Thank you for dinner it was an eventful evening. I'll come to call sometime soon. Goodnight."

With that Remus left Aradia staring at the back of the door.

"Sit down, Its time you learned about this anyway." She said finally.


	6. A Sentimental Man

Aradia opened her eyes and saw Sirius at the window. This wasn't the first time since she'd been back that she thought she'd seen him She rolled over and shrugged it off. But something told her to look back. Her second glance showed him still staring at her. Her fist tightened over the wand that she held under the pillow. "No…" she breathed.

The doors to the balcony flew open and Sirius blew in. Aradia was standing on the bed pointing her wand at him. Their eyes met. _The last time we were here together…_Aradia thought, _I was arrested and sent to Azkaban for six months._

"Ari, its me!"

"Get out of my house!"  
"Our house Ari. You can't forget that!"

The door to the bedroom cracked open and the hall light shone through.

"No…"

"Mama? What happened?" asked Shay as he entered the room.

Aradia closed her eyes as fear took over her body.

"You have a son!" Sirius asked accusingly.

"Get out of my house." She repeated.

Shay reached over and turned on the lights. Sirius' eyes widened. He saw himself standing in the doorway. Himself at age 11. Sirius moved closer to Shay.

"_Stupefy!_" Aradia shouted aiming her wand at her fiancée. "Stay away from my son." She said moving to protect shay."You lay one hand on him, Sirius Black, and so help me Merlin I will kill you. Shay leave the room."  
"Black? But mom-"

"Don't you "but mom" me. Get out of the room."

"Shay?" Sirius said softly from where he lay sprawled on the floor but Shay had already left the room. "He's beautiful."

"What does it matter to you? You'd kill him as soon as love him."  
"Ari, I've never killed anyone."

"That is a load of crap Black and you know it." She pointed her wand toward the open window just as a huge silver dog erupted from the tip and sprang out of the window.

"Who was that for?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Ari, please listen to me. Please, It wasn't me it was Peter. You of all people should know that I could have never hurt James or Lilly."

"Go ahead Sirius. Keep twisting the knife that you ran through my heart thirteen years ago. You May not have killed Lilly or James, but Peter, and all those Muggles! Thirteen people Sirius. You can't deny it."

"Twelve people. Peter was a-"

"Don't you even say rat. That is still a life taken. Worthless though it was it-"

"He's still alive Ari1 That's what I've been trying to tell you!"

"Impossible."

"It's true." Remus said entering the room. "I got your signal and apparated to Shay's room to make sure he was alright. I didn't know what had happened, but now I see. Dumbledore is on his way."

"Dumbledore! Remus there was hardly a need to contact Dumbledore." Exclaimed Sirius.

"Keep quiet!" Ari screamed jabbing her wand toward him.

"Indeed there was." Corrected a new voice from behind Remus. "To not know that you were back in town would have been a great disappointment. Aradia."

"Dumbledore…I was going to write…I just hadn't gotten around to it… It's only been three days and…I'm sorry. I just didn't want people knowing because I didn't want him showing up.

"But he is innocent, you see, it was Peter Pettigrew. He cut off his finger, blew up the alley and turned himself into a rat and ran away." Dumbledore said as if it were old news.

"He's been living with the Weasley's until Harry saw him on the map."

"The map! But I thought? How'd he get the map?"

"The Weasley twins. They stole it from Filch. The point is Ari Sirius is an innocent man.

Wide eyed Aradia slowly lowered her wand. "I'd hoped," she said softly a tear rolling down her cheek. Sirius threw caution to the wind and moved toward her to comfort her.

The second he touched her she backed away. "No…"

He took her by the shoulders and looked her in the eye. "Ari, baby it's me. I promise you as I did everyday we were together, I could never hurt you."

"I'm sorry Sirius, it's just…I can't jump straight into your arms again. It's not like it used to be."

"Aradia, how about a nice cup of tea hmm? Or a large brandy perhaps?" Dumbledore interrupted. "It would be nice to find out where you have been all these years."


	7. The Wizard and I

Uncomfortably forcing a few laughs as she stared over her cup of tea clenched in both hands, her elbows on the table as the men spoke of old times and reminisced on lost youth.

"So Aradia," said Dumbledore quietly so not to startle her from her thoughts "what have you been doing all these years? Remus mentioned that you have a son."

Aradia shot daggers at Remus in her look and turned to Dumbledore. "I don't think that is a good topic at the moment."

"I think it is a perfectly reasonable topic as he has been standing at the doorway for the last five minutes. Please son, come in."

Shay entered timidly, peering around the corner first and then shuffling in. Aradia saw Sirius sit up out of the corner of her eye.

"Remus," said Dumbledore "Help me brew some more tea?"

"Certainly"

The two exited into the kitchen and left the boy standing for the first time in front of both his parents. Sirius moved to stand and shay took a step back.

"Don't" Aradia warned Sirius as if calling that Shay belonged to her.

"Mom… shay whispered looking up his gaze shifted to the other side of the table "Dad?"

In one smooth movement and the noise of chair scraping over the floor Sirius scooped Shay into his arms and kissed him on the cheek. Holding tight as if letting out 11 years of pent up emotion to his son." Shay hugged back uncomfortably at first but when he heard his father's sobs he let go of all pride.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you Shay, is it? I didn't even know about you. I assume your mother told you about what happened did she?" He said setting his new son down and kneeling before him to be at eye level. "Shay if I would have known…I…I just don't know. I'm so sorry. I promise you though, I'll do the best I can now to be whatever you want me to be. You have to understand Shay that even if I would have known about you there was nothing I could do, you don't know how Azkaban is…but whatever you want starting right now. I'll do it."

Shay stared into his fathers haunted eyes, and understood when he spoke of Azkaban that it was a terror, but at this moment he didn't care, he leaned forward and whispered something into his father's ear.

Sirius' eyes widened and turned to look at Aradia who stood holding back tears, pain, anger, and jealousy. She was as beautiful as his memory said she was. Even with tears in her eyes and her hair tossed up into a messy knot at the top of her head. He turned to his son. "I'll sure try. The hardest I can." Then he leaned forward and whispered something into Shay's ear that made him smile for the first time since Aradia had decided to move back home. They hugged again.


	8. Defying Gravity

Aradia and Sirius sat across from one another awkwardly after Dumbledore and Remus left. Shay had fallen asleep on the couch with his head on his mother's lap. Sirius sat across from them on the love seat. An uncomfortable silence filled the room.

"I wish I could have been there, Aradia. I'm sorry. " Sirius said quietly.

At this Aradia stood gently so as not to wake Shay up and walked to the stairs. "Are you coming?" She asked halfway up the stairs in the dark, as she had not turned on the light.

Sirius stood and walked over to his son, kissed him on the cheek, and followed the mother of his child. He didn't know where she was headed but when he got up the stairs he saw a strange silver light coming from their old bedroom. It looked like a reflection of light off of water and he knew almost immediately what it was.

Aradia was carrying the pensieve from the wardrobe and set it on the foot of the bed. She sat next to it with her legs crossed and motioned for him to do the same.

"I saved them because I always hoped that it was all a nightmare. I hoped that one day this would happen…you'd be innocent, and we'd be together again. But as time went by, I started saving them for a different reason. So that whomever I ended up being with, and whoever took Shay in as his own son could see him grow up. But here we are, and you more than deserve to see your son's most precious moments." She said with a tear in her eye. She reached up and caressed his cheek for the first time in twelve years and he leaned into her touch.

To Sirius' surprise the room dissolved away and was replace quickly by a hospital delivery room. A Muggle hospital none the less. He was standing next to Aradia who was on the bed pushing with all her might and then he heard his Son's first breaths, his coughs and cries stuttered as he tried to get used to his new lungs. "It's a boy!" he heard the doctor say. Shay was wrapped in a blue blanket and placed in his mother's arms.

It was at this moment that Sirius reached for Aradia who was standing next to him. His hand found hers and he squeezed it gently. She smiled uncomfortably.

She then took Sirius through Shay's life in intermittent memories. His first smile, first steps, first solid food, laugh, words, first day of school, baseball and soccer games, first trip to Disneyland, all the way up to just a week ago when shay began to show signs of magical ability and of course, when he chose his new dog.

"Why did you raise him as a muggle?" Sirius asked.

"Because magic hurt so many people I love. And after Azkaban people looked at me like I didn't belong. Like I was evil."

"Believe me Ari, I know all about that." He said brushing her hair out of her face. He leaned in to kiss her but she recoiled, picked up the pensieve put it away and walked out of the room.


	9. Thank Goodness

"Shay! Get up! We've got a lot to do today!" Ari called for the fourth time up the stairs.

"Mom, what's up? It's seven in the morning. Why do I have to get up?"

"We got your letter from Hogwarts this morning. We have to got shopping."

"Shopping? Mom, I don't need new clothes…I hate clothes shopping. And you can get all my school supplies, how hard is it to pick our pencils?" Shay said rubbing his eyes.

"Shay, shopping for Hogwarts is more than shopping for muggle school. There are way too many things involved. Robes, books, supplies, cauldrons, quills, not to mention your wand, shay you have to be there to buy your wand."

"You can chose my wand, I don't care. I think this is crazy anyway."

"Shay your wand chooses you. Believe me, these are your first few steps into the magical world you do not want to miss Diagon Alley. Now get dressed. She said handing him his orange juice and shoving him up the stairs.

Aradia smiled to herself as Shay walked up the stairs. She went back to the kitchen and poured him a bowl of cereal and set the milk next to the bowl. Then headed up to her room and in the closet she found an old set of robes that she used to wear. She cleaned the dust off of them and put them on. She let the seams out a bit magically to allow for the weight gain of eleven years and one child to fit. And went to the corner of the room where an old mirror stood still covered by a sheet. She whipped the sheet off and tossed it aside. She smiled when she saw the black and red robes glittering in the dim light of the room.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall…" she said softly.

"Goodness me! Welcome home dearie!" The mirror exclaimed. The pale outline of a plump woman's face appeared in the center of the mirror. "I do believe that was the longest vacation you've taken!"

"Mirra, that wasn't a vacation…"

"Oh I remember now! Oh! They let you out of Azkaban and you were gone then next day! You put me to sleep and covered me up and left. You were pregnant then, you've lost the baby weight well." The Mirror rambled on as Aradia examined her reflection to make sure the robes would pass. "How long has it been?"

"Eleven years."

"Goodness me! You've certainly aged well. You were after all only eighteen when I last saw you. Pregnant at eighteen. I hope you're still with that boy. That Sirius took good care of you until he ran off and killed half the world so merlin knows he's not the father.. Where's the baby? Well I suppose it wouldn't be a baby anymore would it? Goodness Me! Oh I remember those robes! I love how they sparkle ever so faintly they still fit you well…"

"Mom? Who are you talking to?" Shay asked peaking his head in.

The Mirror squealed with excitement. "Goodness me! Is this the little angel! Come closer child so that Miss Mirra can get a good look at you!"

Shay looked questioningly at his mother. "Mom? Is the that the mirror talking?"

Aradia smiled and took her son by the hand as he crossed the room. "Shay, meet Mirra. She's an old enchanted Mirror. She is almost two hundred years old. She belonged to the black family for years. Mirra this is Shay, My son."

"Step into the light boy don't be shy. I need to see you're face." Shay stepped forward. "Goodness me!" The Mirror said in a gasp. "He is the father. Child you're the son of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black!" Mirra exclaimed. As she said this another face appeared in the glass. The face of Sirius Black eleven years ago was smiling mischievously back at his son.

Shay was surprised to see how much he looked like his father when he was younger. He smiled. "Mom, can Dad come with us today?"

"Come with you! Child this man is in Azkaban!"

"He escaped." Ari said shortly. "And he's never killed anyone." She found herself saying proudly. "And Mirra you should remember well not to mention the house of black in our presence. They are an evil dying breed, thank Merlin." Ari declared with the slightest hint of detest behind the words. "Shay go downstairs and eat your cereal." Her voice dripping with authority, Shay said nothing and left the room. "I will explain things to you later Mirra. As for now don't smudge your glass with filthy words such as those you just uttered. Remember your place and keep you carved feet in it."

"Aradia…I never-"

"Mirra, please. It was the goodness you showed to Sirius that made you the one thing that he kept from that horrid house. You should know full well neither of us wanted anything to do with that legacy and you will not be teaching our son any different. Sirius saw goodness in you that proved that horrid family did not create you. Though you do not admit it as you are determined to show that you are a result of power and wealth. If I see that this hunger is taking over you and turning you evil so help me I will shatter you without a backward thought. Bounce that off your glass until I come back."


	10. One Short Day

"Okay Shay listen up. The first thing you need to know is there are going to be a ton of things that you might think are a bit…well…odd. Things you've never seen before and things you've never even dreamed of. The first thing would be this…" Aradia said throwing her left arm into the street.

A loud bang filled the air. And a large purple bus appeared halfway down the street and screeched to a halt directly in front of them.

Shay's mouth was open as he stared at the triple-decker bus. He had definitely never seen a bus so outrageous looking in his life. He looked around to see if people were staring and no one was. A woman across the street was walking with her dog as if nothing out of the ordinary was going on.

"They can't see it, Shay." She whispered taking his hand and leading him on the bus. "One of the first things you'll learn is that muggles, non-magical people, don't know how to see things. The second is don't draw attention to yourself…" She said handing a skinny man with a very pimply face some coins and heading to the back of the bus.

This was the strangest bus that Shay had ever seen; not only outside but the inside was quite strange as well. There were no benches and there seemed to be a lot of extra room. In fact Shay had the distinct feeling that the bus was larger on the inside than it had looked on the outside.

There was a strange assortment of mismatched chairs grouped carelessly near the windows. To Shay's horror some of them were laying on their sides, as if they had just fallen over during the abrupt stop. As they jumped forward Shay quickly learned not to focus on the scenery outside. Mainly because it zoomed by so quickly it started to make him sick and also because he had to focus on keeping himself stable.

His Mother (thank Merlin) had chosen the two heaviest chairs in the bus, they were of old fashioned Victorian design made of mahogany and a red velvet even still they slid across the floor easily. Shay gaped as lampposts and even large building leapt out of the bus' way. He tightened his grip on the chair as he forced himself to focus on the inside of the bus.

The people on the bus weren't very comforting to his already reeling head. For starters, there was the man his Mom had given the money to. His nametag said Stan and he was talking to a shrunken head hanging from the rearview mirror, which he was sure the driver wasn't using.

Before Shay could come up with a good reason for the lady across from them to be the shade of purple that she was the bus screeched to a halt and his mother stood. Shay leapt to his feet (eager to get off of the bus) and followed his mother to the doors.

"Now Shay, when we get in here-" Aradia stopped in her tracks when she saw a large black dog sitting outside of The Leaky Cauldron. "No!" The dog barked in response. "No! You are not coming in here with us…" she said leaning down to speak to the dog. She looked around and saw that not only the muggles, but also witches and wizards were staring at them. Aradia pointed to the alleyway around the corner "Go!" The dog didn't move.

Grabbing the dog by the scruff of the neck she pulled it away from onlookers and behind a dumpster in the far corner of the alleyway she let go of it and stood with her arms crossed.

"Sirius, you are not coming into Diagon Alley with us. It is far too dangerous for you."

Sirius who now stood in place of the dog frowned. "Ari, I have been in a cage for the last twelve years of my life! I have the chance to take my son shopping for his first year at Hogwarts and I want to go. Peter has robbed so much of his life from me. Don't you take this moment away from me."

Aradia said nothing, she only sighed and conjured a leash and a collar with her wand.

"Thank you!" He grabbed her by her face and kissed her hard on the forehead.

"This look will never do for you Sirius!" Ari commented while putting the collar on the dog. "You're fur is so matted!" With a quick wave of her wand Sirius' fur was smooth, clean, and shiny.

The dog barked his disapproval as he bounded from the alley dragging Aradia by the leash.

"Shay, take your dog please." Aradia said handing the leash to Shay, who was trying to fight off the unwanted doggy kisses he was receiving.


	11. Dancing Through Life

"My dog mom?" Shay asked questioningly. He was quite sure he had left the dog at home.

"Shay…the dog is your father." Shay looked at her questioningly. "He can change himself into an animal. Don't ask questions I will explain it all when we get home but now is neither the place nor the time. People are staring let's get moving." She put the leash into her son's hand. "Hold tight you know how he gets excited…" Aradia said chuckling to herself.

Upon entering the Leaky cauldron Shay still with a look of amazement on his face lagged behind his mother, trying to catch a glimpse of everything magical going on around him.

Aradia whose nerves were high sped through the bar hoping no one would recognize her. She kept her head low and her path steady. Not only were these her first steps back into the world she left behind over ten years ago, she also had a known murderer with her. The day was not looking to be an easy one.

Once through to Diagon Alley Shay's eyes were wide open in amazement. The crowded street was busy with shoppers laughing, talking, there were children running by with toy brooms in hand, people with packages of all shapes and sizes. Sirius barked loudly bringing Shay back to his senses.

Aradia handed what few wizard coins she had to Shay and pointed to an ice cream shop. "Get yourself an ice cream and stay with your dog in the patio until I get back."

"Where are you going mom? I want to go!"

"Not now Shay." She said disapprovingly. "I've got to go to Gringots, the bank. I have to get us the right currency or we'll be without a hope. Now…Ice Cream, you two now!" Aradia looked at the dog, whose excited eyes and ceaselessly wagging tail screamed freedom. "You behave or you leave. I mean it." Waving a finger of caution at the dog.

Once out of the Gringots, Ari escorted her son, and the dog, who had ice cream all over his muzzle into Fourish and Blotts to get all of Shay's books first. The man at the front was extremely busy helping other students find their books so Aradia bypassed him and went straight to looking herself.

Behind one of the dusty shelves, his nose stuck in a book Remus heard a familiar bark. He turned just in time to see a large black dog lunge toward him and for the second time in less than three days was on his back being attacked by a sloppy wet and now sticky tongue.

"Siri- NO!" Ari cried in a hushed yell so as not to attract too many onlookers. She smiled with a sigh when she realized it was Remus again. "I am so sorry, again." She said helping him up. " I have no control over this one. He has a mind of his own."

"That's not-?" Remus began but was interrupted by an enormous bark. "Ari, no, It's not safe."

"Tell that to him Remus. I tried! But he wanted to be here with Shay. I couldn't say no."

"I'm sorry but if you can't control that dog it will have to stay outside." Said a young gentleman rounding the corner. His voice was firm and the tone demanding. His gaze shifted from Ari to Remus and his eyes finally locked on Ari.

"It's okay, nothing is hurt!" Ari said smiling gently. She advanced towards him. "You see, we just got back in town and the dog saw our friend Remus here and got overly excited." She said sweetly brushing her hair out of her face. "I am really very sorry, but no one was hurt and your bookshelves are just fine, nothing knocked over apart from Remus there. We're just about done here…Jacob." She tugged playfully at his nametag. "Just one more book, Standard book of Spells Grade one, and I can't find it for the life of me…" she said airily.

The young man a bit nervous showed them where to find the book, and took the money for their purchases with a shaky hand. Ari being sure to let her hand brush his as he did so. "Thank you Jacob, See you around." She winked and led the group from the store.

"I cannot believe it Ari!" Exclaimed Remus when Shay and Sirius were out of earshot. "You are still able to dance your way out of trouble like that? After all of these years? I mean not that you've aged a lot, but that was pure talent. You've still got it. You even practically announced to the guy that you have a son, and he still wanted you."

"Honey you're talking to the girl that wore Sirius Black's engagement ring. He was a hard one to nail down if you know what I mean."

"You speak the truth. I still don't know how you did that one."

"I had help. A good friend, I left him behind a long time ago, though. I just wish I could tell him how sorry I am for abandoning him like that."

Remus stopped walking and turned towards Aradia. "Ari, you did what you had to do to get away. I don't blame you. I'm just glad you're back."

Ari took Remus into a huge hug. "I missed you Remus. You were the only one left after everything happened. I shouldn't have pushed you away."

"I already told you, I don't blame you. If you want me to say that I forgive you it would be a lie. I never held anything against you. I was never mad at you. I can't forgive you if I was never mad at you." He kissed her gently on the forehead as he had so many times before in their younger years. "Just don't do it again." He whispered wiping a tear from her face.

A loud bark drew their attention to Olivanders Wand Shop. Aradia smiled.

"It's time…" she whispered. "My son is going to be a wizard." She and Remus linked arms and strode down the street together Sirius barking and Jumping along side of them happily.


End file.
